Accepting Boa
by Books-Are-My-Only-Love
Summary: After the battle in the Hereafter, Candy must learn to accept that she has another soul living in her body. But before she can even think about that, where is she? my first fanfic, R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: My first fanfic!!! I hope you like it, and please review! But please don't completely trash it no matter how bad it is!!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Abarat, I am not its author. If I was, that'd be awesome, cuz I could say I wrote a ridiculously strange yet good book.**

**Chapter 1: Where Is She?**

_Where is she? _Finnegan thought, looking out over the rail of the _Ruby_, the ship he had hired. It had been 2 weeks since that memorable battle in the Hereafter, and Candy was still missing.

He pulled out his telescope, scanning Mama Izabella for any hint of land. They had searched every island from 5 in the morning, to 3 in the afternoon. She had to be close! Finnegan could feel it, the tug on his heart that Candy was somewhere out there. He shook his head, flipping his red dreadlocks out of his strikingly green eyes.

It was no use looking out over the sea at around 3:30, he couldn't concentrate. He turned and headed down to his cabin. There he sunk down into his hammock, gently swaying with the ship.

He buried his head in his hands. What was he doing? As remarkable as the Quakenbush girl was, why should he spend his time looking for her when no one had asked him to? He should be hunting the worms that had destroyed his beloved! He looked up, and looked into the eyes of Princess Boa's portrait.

"What should I do, Boa?" he asked her, his heart aching as he looked into her perfect face.

Boa made no response. But of course she didn't, he told himself. She was a painting, a painting that only showed a shadow of what she had been in life. He looked away, tears welling up into his eyes. Wait, did her eyes just twinkle? He looked back at her, but nothing happened. He looked away again. It was a trick of the light. His Boa was gone, and wasn't ever coming back. But the way he had seen her eyes flash, it seemed so real. He buried his face in his hands again, and wept.

***

Candy was curled up on the back of the island animal she had fallen asleep on. After he had delivered her to the mainland, he had insistently followed her around, trying to go everywhere with her. She had accepted his friendship, of course! She needed a friend on this deserted half of the island, even if it was a strange, tiny island.

As she slept, a small bird, that had all the markings of a golden finch, except for the fact he was purple, flew to the tree branch just above Candy's head, and cocked his head at her. Then, deciding she wasn't a threat let out loud a loud twittering cry.

Candy stirred, scaring the bird, and he flew away to look for his fellow violet finches.

Candy sat up, rubbing her eyes, and looking around. _What time is it?_ She thought groggily. Then, becoming more aware, she chastised herself. She was in Abarat! _Its always the same time on each island, stupid! _She thought. This island was about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, though she wasn't positive.

"Isleta, wake up!" She called down to the island animal, gently patting his head. She had named the island 'Isleta' when she decided to befriend him.

Isleta, lifted his big green head, and blinked sleepily at her. He than snorted, closed his eyes and lowered his head to go back to sleep.

"Isleta!" she giggled, "You are so stubborn!" She climbed off his back and sat down in front of his face.

"Its time to get up sweety-cakes," she crooned to him, gently tickling his chin, "We need to get going if we want to find breakfast!"

Instantly, Isleta lifted his head. Candy heard his stomach growl, and she laughed.

"Lets go," she said getting up, "I bet there are some fruit trees up ahead."

She set off, knowing Isleta would rather interrupt his sleep than be left behind. As they climbed to the top of the hill, a delicious smell of mangoes, apples, bananas, figs, honey, pomegranates and sea air came wafting toward them in the breeze. They sped up, following the delicious down the hill and toward a small grove of trees by the edge of a small bay.

They entered the grove, and Candy seized 2 large yellow and pink spotted fruits. She threw one up in the air, and Isleta caught it in his mouth while she sat and took a big bight out of her own, the juices spraying everywhere. It was amazing! It tasted like a mixture of pears, bananas, and pomegranates, with just a touch of honey to sweeten it up. She moaned in delight as she took another bight. Behind her, Isleta had already finished his fruit, and was on his back legs trying to bat down a second fruit with his paws. Candy continued to eat her fruit while Isleta settled down beside her, tearing at his second.

Candy and Isleta continued to consume the fruits until both their stomachs were bulging.

"Hey!" said a voice, surprising them, "Who said you could eat my Pomana Fruits?"

Candy jumped up and turned to face the voice. To her surprise, she found herself face to face with a creature much like a centaur, half horse half man. She gaped in astonishment, as the centaur glared at her. He was young, probably 4 years older than her, with long messy golden brown hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Oh…These are your…Pomanas?" she asked nervously.

"Yes, they are, and I don't remember saying anyone could eat them." He said, glaring at Candy and at the juice covered ground around the trees.

"I'm really sorry-" She paused.

"Wilfred."

"I'm really sorry, Wilfred, but me and my friend, Isleta, were so hungry when we came over that hill, and we had no food. We didn't realize anyone owned these trees."

"Well, I'll just have to decide what your punishment will be." Then he turned, and walked away from them.

Candy was speechless. What was she supposed to do? Follow him, or stay here? And what was he going to do to her? He didn't seem very harmful, just a young centaur who took care of trees.

She sat, deciding to wait for his return since the sleeping Isleta wasn't going anywhere.

***

**Well, what do ya think??? **

**Please review, I really need to know how good or bad this is. **

**Pretty please?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Wilfred**

_Stupid girl, with her stupid island animal, having to stupid eat my pomanas _Wilfred thought angrily, stomping back to his hut. _Why couldn't they have eaten someone else's prized possession?_

Wilfred clomped inside his hut. On the inside, the round little hut made from leafy branches, lying in a shady field of grass, looked a lot like a stable. Being part horse, Wilfred had a small stall in one corner, where he slept, and a big bucket hanging on the wall where he put most of his food (except his pomanas of course). His pomanas were kept on a high shelf that ran around the entire hut, each of the fruits placed carefully on it. A few portraits hung on the wall, an older male centaur looking proud and haughty, a pretty young centaur smiling shyly and of course a large picture of a pomana. The rest of the space was filled with tables completely covered in fertilizers, water, books and guides on planting and tree care, and different pesticides.

Wilfred crossed to a table near his stall and stuffed his hand into the jumbled mess. _Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid girl. Stupid, stupid island animal. Why my fruit trees?!?! Where is that stupid book….oh there it is_. Wilfred flipped through the big volume of centaur guidelines toward the sections on punishments. _Ah here it is 'if any creature touches, destroys, eats, or steals a centaur's prized possession, the punishment is death'._ Wilfred stopped reading, and grinned. He plunged his hand back into the mess on the table. When he withdrew it, Wilfred was holding a club.

***

Candy's POV

Candy sighed. The strange, bare-chested centaur with the palomino body had been gone for half an hour. Her thoughts were whirling with questions. _Where did he go? What's going to happen to me and Isleta?_ _**Where am I? **_

Isleta grumbled gently, shook his head, and looked up at Candy. His eyes were blinking blearily, with his eyelids drooped halfway over them. He looked so comical that Candy gave out a loud giggle. Isleta grumbled some more at her laugh, and then looked at her as if to say 'What did I miss?'

Candy started rubbing his neck gently, and spoke.

"Well, after you fell asleep, this pissed centaur guy named Wilfred came along. He started yelling at me, saying 'did I say you could eat my pomanas?' 'I'll have to decide what your punishment will be', and then he left. He just left. I didn't know what to do, I just sat here with you."Candy explained.

Isleta was half dozing while he listened to her. His thoughts slow and relaxed, but as Candy spoke, something caught his attention _'pissed centaur' 'my pomanas' 'your punishment'_. It sounded like the pomanas were really important to this 'Wilfred'. Like they were his prized possession, and then Isleta remembered. The punishment for taking a centaurs prized possession.

_Death_

Isleta lumbered to his feet in a panic, startling Candy, who quickly got up too.

"Isleta, what's wrong?" Candy asked, staring at her friend.

Isleta grumbled and grunted at her, trying to make her understand. His big, fear-filled green eyes were glancing around frantically, hoping there was enough time to get away. How long had he been asleep?

Candy was still staring at him, entirely confused. Isleta's grunting was starting to scare her. _What is he scared of? _She asked herself, worried.

Isleta turned. If Candy wouldn't understand, he'd have to lead her out of trouble. He lumbered to the calm little bay, knowing candy would follow him.

"Isleta, what are you doing?" she asked, as she caught up to him.

He looked at her meaningfully, and then knelt. His meaning couldn't have been clearer.

Candy clambered onto Isleta's back and sat cross legged. She was still bewildered at the animal's actions, but had decided to trust him. Isleta took a step forward, but as he put his foot into the deceptively cold water, he heard a yell from by the grove of trees.

Isleta began to hurry; he knew from experience what centaurs did when they were angry. It had taken months for the tree on his back to regrow after a centaur had chopped it off.

Candy looked back at the yelling centaur. He was galloping after them, his eyes like blue fire and his hair blowing back from his speed. In his hand he held a large wooden club.

Candy's stomach tightened in fear, she began to urge Isleta onward encouragingly, while she kept glancing back at Wilfred. He was almost to the water, and they were only 15 meters from shore. _With any luck, we'll make it _Candy thought.

Isleta heard Candy's words of encouragement and tried to put on a burst of speed. He thrust his head underwater, and struggled to haul his and Candy's weight through the clear blue water.

Candy glanced back at the shore, just in time to see Wilfred splash his hooves into the water. As she looked, Candy saw Wilfred fumbling with something around the base of his club. He got it free, and then shook it out.

Candy's heart clenched, as she watched the centaur throw the thing at her and Isleta. She let out a piercing scream as the net fell over them.

**What do ya think??? Read??? Review??? As Ian O'Shea would say, "Good or bad?"**


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